{secret things...}

{Nine: Teacher}

Songs for the chapter:

Without Love- Bon Jovi

Leave Me Alone- Michael Jackson

Pretty Woman- Van Halen

{M A U R A}

I looked at him a dozen different times, but he never gave me a second thought.

Somehow I'd expected this. I expected him to blow me off for the millionth time, to disregard me after I'd clearly demonstrated my feelings for him. Even though I'd known this would happen, it felt like a punch in the stomach.

I gazed at him across the courtyard at lunch, just hoping he might catch my eye. Of course, it seemed like he deliberately tried to avoid them.

I sighed for the umpteenth time.

Jon groaned with frustration. "I thought this is what you wanted, Freckles."

"It is," I said blankly and without thought.

"Don't worry girl, this is just how Jax is. He'll come back around when he wants to come back around, it won't be long."

Jon glared at Macy. "You're supporting this? You think it's okay to have her moping around, waiting for some asshole to notice her like a scorned puppy? You don't think she deserves better than this?"

"You're the one who told her to go clean his house up!" Macy snapped back at him. "Don't act like you haven't been participating!"

"That doesn't make this okay," Jon huffed.

"Both of you shut up! I made this decision all on my own, alright? I never said you two had to sit with me and have a commentary on my life, you chose to do this all on your own!"

Macy sneered at Jon. "Yeah, Jersey. Why don't you go over there with Josh? That conversation might be more your speed anyway."

I looked at her and scoffed, as did Jon.

"I'll just go," I muttered.

Jon's eye's widened a little bit and he cleared his throat. Macy fell silent.

"Freckles-"

"Don't 'Freckles' me! I'm going."

I spun around, and then nearly dropped my stuff on the ground in surprise.

Jax stared down at me with a half-concealed smile, the reality of which was enough to send my knees knocking. I managed to return his gaze for about a half a second, before I realized he couldn't possibly be here for me and resolved to walk past.

"Little Red, don't give me the cold shoulder," he said slyly. At the sound of his voice, everyone around us fell quiet.

I looked back at Macy who grinned wildly, while Jon ran a hand through his hair out of frustration.

"Me? Give you the cold shoulder?" I barely whispered, but my voice seemed to carry.

Even Josh and the Teenage Dreams stopped to look, followed by the jocks and even the nerds.

I faced him and he smiled, though it seemed more like a grimace to me.

"You didn't forget about last night already, did you?"

"Which part?" I frowned. "When you went off on me for caring, or when you threw me out to please your girlfriend?"

"I don't have a girlfriend," he replied drily and came up close to me.

I looked up at him as his chest brushed up against my shoulder. He laughed and did a quick once-over of the room. "Relax, Little Red. You're getting what you want, so now I feel it's my turn. You're coming over tomorrow night. Wear something tight."